What do you mean? I work for a contractor so it wasn’t completely the end of the world if I got denied, but this will open up new avenues for career growth.

I also want to add that I didn’t really have any real weird issues. I do have an extensive drug history dating back to 2000. I’ve done cocaine, x, special K, weed, meth to be specific. My financials were a mess when I applied, but cleared up 6 months later. No foreign contacts or foreign addresses etc.

@pawngobbler I will also reply just for an additional point for you. I contacted my Rep first (who did nothing), then my Senator. Their office was much more helpful and got me to a person who does this regularly. She had me fill out a form, but I will put copy down an altered version of what I wrote:

"Dear [Senator]'s office:

I write to your office regarding my security clearance application.

I accepted a contingent job offer with [contractor] in [date]. This was contingent upon receipt of a DoD Secret clearance, and I am unable to begin work without clearance. I applied immediately, submitting my SF-86 in [date]. In [date], I was notified that I would not receive an interim clearance (eligibility pending). A few months ago, I reached out to [Representative]'s office but I do not believe they have taken action on my request. I am currently working part-time while waiting for clearance, and today marks day [number] of waiting.

I would appreciate if [Senator] could inquire the DoD about the status of my clearance investigation, and if possible, request that the remaining stages of my investigation and adjudication be given additional priority.

I thank you for your time and consideration."

Note that they will want to know: the employer, level of clearance, which agency you will be cleared under, how long you have been waiting, and if you have already contacted another Congressperson’s office.

What issues? Drug history? I know of plenty of people that have worse drug history than mine and have a TS. I know of people who have done drugs as recently as 6 months prior to applying for TS and got approved.

I’m not sure why people think doing drugs is such a horrible thing and will prevent you from getting a clearance.

What they want to see is if you cleaned up, why and how, but just simple doing blow or smoking pot is definitely not an indicator of negative character issues. Well if you feel otherwise, let me be clear that you are a dinosaur.

I guess you also believe that people who have hand, neck and face tattoos cant be trusted.

I’m not sure why people think doing drugs is such a horrible thing and will prevent you from getting a clearance.

Well, probably because you are applying for a job that requires the trust of the federal government, and “doing drugs” constitutes breaking federal law. It’s not such a far jump in mindset from “I don’t think drugs should be illegal, so I will do them” to think “I don’t agree that this material should be kept secret, so I will leak it”. I think the government has every right to base character judgments on how you behave when faced with rules you disagree with.

If you don’t think that “doing blow or smoking pot” is dangerous and shows poor judgement, you’re a fool and have been seriously misled. If you think that doing drugs is such a wonderful thing (as opposed to a “horrible thing”, trying living next door to (or with) a heavy user. Take a hard look at what the money that you are spending is supporting and take a good hard, long, look at what some of the people that you are forced to associate with are doing.

You’re right, when, why and how you cleaned up is important and makes a difference. But, that’s because the drug use IS a strongly negative statement about character and security. Adjudicators don’t want to hear that you cleaned up because you were going to apply for a clearance, for example. This makes is too likely that you will go back to using after you clear. But, the same applies to alcohol and financial issues.

I’d like to see the people who you know that used six months before applying for a clearance. The general consensus here is that this is far to recent. So, whoever you know are rare examples and very likely have some special circumstances that allowed them to get by.

Hand, neck and face tattoos? Can’t be trusted? “Can’t” is too strong a word but, yes, I will question the judgement of those people. Yes, I have ink of my own.

Actually I think your trolling us…
I don’t believe for one second that your telling the truth. LOL, people that do blow and smoke pot as recently as 6 months getting a TS. Maybe if they omitted it on the SF86. You will not get a Public Trust if you did coke in the last 6 months and you admit to it.